Several filling stations in Nigeria that rely on fuel supply from the Dangote Refinery have been forced to shut down following operational challenges at the $20 billion facility.
A Bloomberg report on Thursday revealed that the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery has cut its crude oil intake to fewer than 300,000 barrels per day in October — a 50 per cent drop from the 600,000 barrels processed in July. The reduction represents less than half of the refinery’s total capacity.
According to the report, the decline in crude processing stems from operational setbacks that analysts believe may persist into next year, potentially keeping petrol prices elevated across the market.
“Nigeria’s huge Dangote oil refinery has been buying a lot less crude lately amid operational setbacks,” Bloomberg quoted analysts as saying. “This could persist into next year and keep supporting gasoline prices.”
Industry tracker IIR Energy disclosed that the refinery’s residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) — a key unit for gasoline production — has faced technical challenges since late August, resulting in periodic petrol shortages. Although temporary repairs are expected this week, more extensive maintenance is planned for January 2026.
Analyst Neil Crosby of Sparta Commodities noted that the refinery’s downtime has tightened global fuel supply, saying, “European gasoline has been extremely strong as a result of Dangote’s issues.”
In Abuja, it was observed that several MRS filling stations in Kubwa and along the Lugbe Expressway were closed as of Thursday due to non-supply from the refinery.
A station manager, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the development, stating that other Dangote Refinery retail partners — including Optima and Ardova — have resorted to sourcing fuel from major oil marketers to remain operational.“It is true we are yet to get supply from the refinery. We rely on it 100 per cent. Hopefully, we’ll get supply by Friday or over the weekend,” the manager said.
Fuel scarcity has also pushed prices higher. On Wednesday, MRS and other Dangote retail partners increased pump prices to ₦950 per litre, up from ₦851 in Abuja. Other marketers such as NNPCL, AA Rano, Total, Mobil, NIPCO, and Empire are now selling between ₦940 and ₦955 per litre in the capital and surrounding areas.
Leaders of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) confirmed a temporary supply disruption is responsible for the latest price surge.
